Produce with Amy

Regardless of the season, salads are a go-to meal in our house. I am fortunate that one of Mike’s favorite meals is a dinner plate of greens, with whatever fruit and vegetables we have on hand, and some sort of protein (salmon is his favorite). If I want to receive an extra hearty, thank you, I include a generous amount of gorgonzola cheese and he is a happy husband. We both love the addition of olives and since I try to maintain a plant based diet my favorite way to add protein to a salad is a dollop of hummus and a sprinkling of raw nuts.

I like to make my own salad dressings. This is especially the case in the summer when I have an abundance of fresh herbs available in my garden. My favorite combinations tend to be a vinaigrette where I start with a very basic recipe: olive oil, spicy mustard, minced onion and garlic, and vinegar. I love fresh dill with orange (zest and a touch of juice) and oregano with lemon. I find that store-bought dressings often contain chemicals, preservatives, artificial sweeteners (and since I like a tangy dressing) are often too sweet for my taste buds. Growing up in my family we took our consumption of vinegar seriously. Ask any of my cousins what they loved to eat as children at our grandparent’s house, the late Thomas and Hilda Puskala, and I guarantee they will immediately say, “cucumbers and vinegar.” I fondly remember Grandpa serving my aunt Christina and I cucumbers straight out of his legendary garden with vinegar, salt, and pepper for breakfast. Yes, breakfast, and we savored every crunchy bite!

While I tend to like vinegar and oil based dressings, this winter (yes, it is still winter in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan) I have really been craving a more creamy, ranch styled dressing. However, many contain dairy, and like I mentioned earlier ~ a cocktail of chemicals. So, I have been experimenting with my own concoctions and have settled on two recipes that I really enjoy. I used raw nuts to give the dressings some body and a kick of protein.

Tangy Ranch (Plant Based Dressing)

• 1/2 cup raw cashews
• 1/2 cup dairy substitute (unsweetened coconut or almond milk, soy milk, or hemp milk) I used almond
• 1/4 cup of lemon juice
• 3 Tablespoons of rice vinegar
• 3 green onions (could use a couple tablespoons of regular onion)
• 1 clove of garlic
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• 1 teaspoon parsley
• 1 teaspoon dill
• 1/2 teaspoon basil
• 1/4 teaspoon salt (I used pink Himalayan salt)
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Blend well. I did use dried herbs but plan to use fresh this summer. I used recycled spaghetti jars to store the dressing. As the ranch sits in your refrigerator it will thicken and may need to thinned out with water or extra vinegar or lemon juice (if you like your dressing tangy like I do). Weight Watchers PP = 2 PP per 2 Tablespoon Serving.

Zesty Avocado (Plant Based Dressing)

• 1/2 cup raw almonds 
• 1/2 cup dairy substitute (unsweetened coconut or almond milk, soy milk, or hemp milk) I used almond
• 1/4-1/2 cup of water
• 1/2 medium avocado
• 1/4 cup of lime juice
• 3 Tablespoons of raw apple cider vinegar
• Red onion (couple teaspoons)
• Handful of cilantro
• 1 clove of garlic
• 1 teaspoon parsley
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1/4 teaspoon salt (I used pink Himalayan salt)
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper

Blend well. This dressing came out quite a bit thicken than the ranch so I added water to the blender. It will also thicken as it sits in the refrigerator and can be thinned out with additional vinegar, lime juice, or water. Weight Watchers PP = 2 PP per 2 Tablespoon Serving.

As we move into summer I know that I will keep a steady supply of homemade dressings in my refrigerator. I promise to post more recipes as I experiment with new flavor combinations. Have fun experimenting with homemade dressings which are so easy, quick, and can be made to suit your personal taste. If you prefer sweeter varieties over a tangy dressing you can puree up berries or fruit to give your dressing a juicy infusion of flavor. One of the pit falls avoid with healthy eating is falling into a food rut. As long as we remember to switch things up often, salads will remain a healthy staple and we will never grow tired of them. The combinations are endless and it is so important to fill our plates with a rainbow of fresh produce.